• Greta (2018)

    Greta is a very good psychological thriller that convinces with excellent actresses, gloomy atmosphere and sinister tension from start to finish.

    The film starts very quickly and the main plot is introduced in the first five minutes already which is a very dynamic approach. A young female student who has recently lost her mother and now lives estranged from her father with a dynamic roommate finds a purse in a subway. She decides to bring the purse to her owner, an elderly and lonely lady who lives estranged from her daughter and has lost her husband and dog. The student pities the lady, buys a new dog with her and starts meeting her regularly despite her roommate's doubts. One day, the student discovers that the lady is hiding several bags identical to the one she had found in a closet and realizes that the old lady specifically places them around town in order to meet new people. The young student stops seeing the lady but the latter is obsessed with and keeps stalking her. The more the young student tries to escape from her, the more determined the elderly lady gets to win her back by any means necessary.

    The acting performances in this psychological thriller are particularly outstanding. Chloë Grace Moretz convinces as empathic, fragile and good-mannered student who falls into a dangerous trap. Isabelle Huppert delivers the goods as dangerous, egocentric and unstable widow who takes advantage of the young student's weaknesses and who has some skeletons in her closet.

    Thanks to a well-paced start, the movie quickly creates a sinister atmosphere. The first signs that something is amiss with the elderly lady are already present in the first ten minutes of the film. She brutally bangs against a wall in her own house to prevent the neighbours from making too much noise. She immediately tells episodes of her tormented life to a complete stranger. She makes philosophical remarks pretending to know the desires of a young woman she has just met. From then on, things slowly spiral out of control as the strange old lady becomes a most dangerous psychopath who is nevertheless underestimated far too long.

    The tension rises throughout the film. The viewer can empathize with the young lead character who initially feels intrigued by the elderly lady, then confused and upset and progressively scared and terrified. The exposition is appropriately short, the rising action is intensively detailed, the climax is shocking, the falling action is eventful and even the resolution leaves you on an uneasy note that walks off the beaten path.

    The story of a dangerous stalker might not be completely new and some twists are easily predictable. Still, the exceution of this movie is particularly gripping thanks to brilliant actresses, gloomy atmosphere and rising tension leading to a memorable ending. Anyone who likes psychological thrillers should watch this movie.

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  • Badla (2019)

    Badla is the Indian remake of Spanish thriller Contratiempo, internationally known as The Invisible Guest. The movie transports the plot to London and the British countryside and replaces original figures with Indian characters. The film also features a few references to Indian culture to give it its very own style. The movie is also twelve minutes longer to add some details and depth to characters and plot.

    The final result is quite entertaining. The locations in the elegant loft in London, swamps and woods of the British countryside and an isolated hotel near a ski resort are absolutely stunning. The characters are intriguing and become more interesting as the film progresses. The plot offers numerous twists and turns and even elaborates on different possible outcomes of the main intrigue. Even though I could see some twists coming, they were still accurately executed.

    The story revolves around a young and successful Indian businesswoman who is found injured in a closed hotel room with her dead lover and a large sum of money in the bathroom. The police suspects she killed her lover and faked the injury. Her assistant hires a prestigious lawyer who comes out of retirement and who has never lost a case in the forty years of his career. In order to defend his client, he manipulates her in order to uncover the entire truth and find a potential murderer who might want to frame the businesswoman. Telling you anything more would take away from the outstanding plot that takes you on an intense journey.

    Since I haven't watched the original Spanish movie, I can't compare the two films and tell you which one is better. What I can tell you however is that Badla is a very good crime thriller. Even though some plot elements and twists are predictable, the acting is superb, the locations are stunning and the story remains very intriguing until the very end. Another positive element is the fact that this movie avoids the usual Bollywood stereotypes such as exaggerated dance choreographies and sappy love stories. If you have the occasion to watch this film, don't hesitate to do so.

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  • Týr - Hel (2019)

    It took Faroese heavy metal band Týr five and a half years to release a follow-up to critically acclaimed predecessor Valkyrja. This might have been due to extended touring activities, two important line-up changes on drums and guitars and the fact that the group got unfairly boycotted by extremist environmentalists who attacked the lead singer for honouring his cultural heritage, exposing themselves as closed-minded radicals. The quartet's eight studio record Hel was worth the wait though and is one of the band's greatest hours.

    The bigger picture of this release is truly convincing. This starts with the atmospheric, detailed and diversified cover artwork, continues with the elegant booklet, can be perceived in the organic production that enables each instrument to shine, goes along with the creative top quality songwriting and ends with the fact that fans get a generous thirteen songs with a whopping length of seventy minutes after so many years of silence. Some critics claim that the release offers quantity over quality but I have to disagree. The record starts and ends on extremely strong notes and even though the middle section doesn't keep the momentum of excellence, it's still very potent and keeps the band's trademarks going on an entertaining level.

    Speaking of the band's trademarks, this album offers everything the band has stood for in the past but still manages to push the boundaries. Epic doom metal passages meet melodic heavy metal stylistics with occasional power and folk metal influences that enhance the atmosphere. The heavy riffs are played in a technically impressive and at times progressive way. The bass guitar is even more domineering than in the past and doesn't only follow the drum patterns or guitar rhythms but has its shining moments. The drum play is accurate and versatile as it easily shifts from slower parts over mid-paced rhythms to fast sections. The epic and melodic vocals are still one of a kind but sound even more diverisfied than on past efforts as the singer even experiments with vibrant death metal growls.

    Mentioning the numerous great songs would take way too much time. Let's just focus on the excellent opening trio that exemplifies what this album is all about. The opener ''Gates of Hel'' might be the best song the band has written so far in its career. It's atmospheric, creative and epic as it finds the right balance between progressive instrumental parts and memorable vocal lines. The vocals vary from melodic parts resembling chorals to gritty death metal growls that blend in perfectly. The guitar work is energetic and versatile. The drum play is dynamic and playful. The song features an extended bass guitar solo which is absolutely stunning. I wish more bands would go for bass guitar solos instead of classic electric guitar solos. I can't stop listening to this vibrant opener and overuse the repeat button despite the quality of the material that follows. Among excellent songs, this one here is perfect.

    Up next, ''All Heroes Fall'' quickens up the pace and is one of the band's heaviest songs on the record, showcasing how much the band has evolved from its doom metal roots towards fast-paced heavy metal flirting with power and thrash metal elements. The chorus on the other side is simply beautiful and haunting and particularly memorable. If bands still actively released singles to support their new records, this song would be the perfect choice. As a collector of physical records, I must admit that I'm somewhat missing these days.

    Third track ''Ragnars kvæði'' is one of only two songs sung in Faroese. As quality matters over quantity however, this song is particularly great as the use of Faroese lyrics amplifies the longing atmosphere of the track. The song also rekindles with the group's cultural heritage and flirts with folk metal stylistics that transport you back in time and to a place that is now known as Northern Europe. The song has a cinematic vibe without ever being pretentious and would make for a welcome addition to any soundtrack involving Faroese or Scandinavian culture.

    In the end, Týr is back with a bang almost six years after its previous studio record as Hel qualifies as one of the band's strongest records ever. The band has never released a weak record in the first place but I would put this output in third position after Eric the Red and Ragnarok. If you like vibrant heavy metal with progressive and folkloristic elements that doesn't sound old-fashioned despite its cultural roots, you might have already found your album of the year candidate right here.

    Final rating: 90%

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  • Winter is gone: Last days of cold in Ottawa and Gatineau

    Winter is gone: Last days of cold in Ottawa and Gatineau

    Winter is gone: Last days of cold in Ottawa and Gatineau

    Winter is gone: Last days of cold in Ottawa and Gatineau

    Winter is gone: Last days of cold in Ottawa and Gatineau

    Winter is gone: Last days of cold in Ottawa and Gatineau

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  • 2019 MLS season

    Eastern Conference

     1. Atlanta United FC - 67 points

    2. D.C. United - 65 points

    3. Columbus Crew SC - 62 points

    4. New York City FC - 60 points

    5. New York Red Bulls - 58 points

    6. Orlando City SC - 53 points

    7. Toronto FC - 51 points

    8. Philadelphia Union - 48 points

    9. Chicago Fire - 42 points

    10. Montreal Impact - 40 points

    11. FC Cincinnati - 37 points

    12. New England Revolution - 26 points

    Western Conference

     1. Seattle Sounders FC - 69 points

    2. Los Angeles FC - 64 points

    3. Sporting Kansas City - 62 points

    4. LA Galaxy - 60 points

    5. Portland Timbers - 55 points

    6. FC Dallas - 52 points 

    7. Real Salt Lake - 48 points

    8. Houston Dynamo - 45 points

    9. Vancouver Whitecaps FC - 36 points 

    10. Minnesota United FC - 33 points

    11. Colorado Rapids - 32 points

    12. San Jose Earthquakes - 28 points

    2019 MLS Cup

    LA Galaxy

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